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The Lewis Walpole Library, on historic Main Street in Farmington, is owned by Yale University. It is a research library, open to scholars for 18th-century studies, and is a renowned resource for the study of Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill in England. The front door of the Timothy Root House c. 1784, used to house visiting scholars doing research at the Library, features a blue-painted ceiling on the overhang.
Blue painted ceilings on porches, verandahs, and exterior door overhangs has been a 200-year-old tradition in America. This subtle blue decorative detail has always been an attraction to me. The other day, as I was walking Miss Zsa Zsa, our rambunctious Jack Russell, along Main Street in the historic village of Farmington, I admired several blue-painted exterior ceilings. I was curious: how did this tradition develop and why? Was it to give the illusion of the sky as one relaxes on the porch gazing upwards, creating a serene ambiance?
According to folklore in the deep South, it was thought that ghosts, also known as “haints” in Creole dialect and pronounced as “haunts,” could not cross water. The blue paint represented water, hence, evil spirits could not cross the blue ceiling into the house! The pale bluish-green shade continues to be called “haint blue” in the South.
Soft blue exterior ceilings continue to have a historic and present-day presence in the South, New England (especially in Colonial and Victorian homes), as well as in the Northwest.
The historic Major Timothy Cowles house c. 1815, on Main Street Farmington, is owned by Miss Porter’s School, and is lovingly referred to by the girl students as “Tim-Co”! The blue portico ceiling contrasts elegantly against the stunning, white-painted, architectural details.
Another folklore was that the blue paint repelled insects. While I wish that held true when those pesky mosquitoes make their appearance in the summer, scientifically, it has not been proven to do so. The soft blue color does tend to reflect light, which is a benefit in the evening hours.
This long blue ceiling offers an inviting sense of calm.
Photo credit: @rings_end via Instagram
The next time the verandah ceiling at Fox Hall needs to be painted, it will be a soft shade of blue. It will contrast handsomely against the white trim and columns. To me, painting the ceiling blue represents the calmness and happiness of witnessing a bluebird sky, even during evening hours…. something to consider the next time you discover a blue porch ceiling or contemplate painting one!
The verandah ceiling at Fox Hall in springtime, soon to be painted blue!
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